Andy Halliday was chastised live on television for refusing to celebrate his Motherwell goal against Rangers

Former Gers player and boyhood fan Halliday handed Motherwell a half-time lead in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, but Philippe Clement’s team responded with a crucial 2-1 win to set up an Old Firm final against Celtic next month.

Adrian Durham and Perry Groves, live on talkSPORT [3 November, 15:31], began berating Halliday for his quiet reaction to the opening goal, with Durham even threatening to replace him right away.

“If I’m Stuart Kettlewell, the Motherwell manager, I’m dragging him off, and thinking ‘you don’t care enough about this’,” Durham wailed.

Groves agreed, “Why don’t you want to put it right up them?”

“As you reflect on your career, you may be hesitant to offend Rangers fans. They won’t mind; they’ll be angry enough.

“I would lose it – I don’t understand thinking that if I score, I’ll be able to calm myself down. With that emotion in the game, I wouldn’t have had that notion.”

Was Andy Halliday correct not to celebrate against Rangers?
This isn’t the first time Halliday has faced criticism for his celebrations, or lack thereof.

After his ecstatic reaction after scoring against Hibernian on October 9, the midfielder claimed it was “only because it was Hibs”.

The intriguing aspect of the discussion over whether or not players should rejoice against former clubs and in what circumstances is that retired players and spectators sometimes criticize players for holding back.

But, more often than not, when a player has had a long-term relationship with a club that has defined their career – especially in Halliday’s case, where he grew up as an enthusiastic fan – they will keep their bridges open and show what they consider to be respect.

It’s simple to say from a radio studio, and understandable when you’re placing the underdogs ahead of a huge club in a semi-final at the National Stadium.

But ultimately, Halliday went for the other side of the coin – and as it turned out, it would have come back to bite him.

Confirmed Motherwell v Rangers Team News: Philippe Clement makes two alterations

The Steelmen will face the Gers in the League Cup semi-final later afternoon

Motherwell will face Rangers in the second leg of this week’s Premier Sports Cup double bill at Hampden Park.

Last night, Celtic dominated Aberdeen in the national stadium, scoring six consecutive goals. Philippe Clement could use a similarly commanding performance, as his coat sits on a shoogly Ibrox peg, with results not going his way recently and many fans demanding a fresh face in the bench.

Motherwell’s manager, Stuart Kettlewell, is dealing with an injury problem, and captaincy duties now fall on the shoulders of 18-year-old Lennon Miller, who is making an excellent start to his career. The Steelmen will probably never have fancied their chances more than they do this afternoon against the Rangers, with both teams battling for a berth in the season’s opening final.

Here are the confirmed lineups for both sides:

Motherwell: Oxborough, Kaleta, Casey, Gordon, Balmer, Seddon, Wilson, Halliday, Miller, Maswanhise, and Stamatelopoulos.

Subs: Hegyi, Zdravkovski, Spareow, Robinson, Blaney, Koutroumbis, Ebiye, Watt, and Tavares.

Rangers include Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte, Barron, Raskin, Lawrence, Cerny, Bajrami, and Dessers.

Subs: Kelly, Propper, Diomande, Dowell, Sterling, Kasanwirjo, Igamane, Hagi, and Danilo.

Given the circumstances surrounding Rangers’ disappointing start to the season, the likelihood of new signings providing a solution is improbable

Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen’s work has recently come under increased scrutiny, which was heightened by Wednesday’s 2-1 setback against Premiership pacesetters Aberdeen.

Only three of this summer’s signings began, as Mohamed Diomande and Robin Propper were sent to the bench. Cyriel Dessers, who joined for around the same sum Celtic paid for Kyogo Furuhashi, had a dreadful evening in attack.

And, while Koppen deserves respect for bringing in Jefte and Hamza Igamane, two little-known youths from underserved markets, it’s fair to say Rangers’ recruitment boss has yet to win over the majority.

So, when Ibrahim Adel appears to left the door open for a prospective move to Scotland in 2025, a disillusioned Gers crowd may be forgiven for keeping their excitement at bay.

Ibrahim Adel keeps the door open for Rangers ahead of the January transfer window.

The Egypt international continues to play for his native club, Pyramids FC.

Rangers did speak with Adel late in the summer window, according to one Egyptian source. However, proposed £4.5 million transfers to Ibrox and La Liga side Getafe fell through before the September deadline.

“Rangers entered into negotiations to sign the player,” an anonymous Pyramids FC ‘official’ informs Laila Kora. “But they stopped due to the failure to reach an agreement with the club regarding the financial considerations.”

Speaking of sources, one speaking on behalf of Ibrahim Adel himself has revealed what the gifted winger has planned for 2025.

According to Gomhuria Online, Adel is holding out for a move to Europe. He is reportedly ready to turn down a move to Al-Ahly, possibly in the hopes that Rangers or Getafe will make another offer in the near future.

Only time will tell.

Rangers already have an in-form left winger, Nedim Bajrami.
There is no denying Adel’s talent. He already has two goals in three appearances since the start of 2024/25.

“Ibrahim Adel is a huge talent for us and Egyptian football,” Pyramids FC’s director of football, Mahmoud Fathallah, told King Fut recently.

But if he is a skill the Rangers truly require is another matter. On deadline day, Clement’s side signed Nedim Bajrami, a right-sided left winger.

And, with Tom Lawrence capable of playing wide on the flanks, as well as the temporarily injured but talented Oscar Cortes, the left-wing place may appear to be an unusual area to reinforce. Especially if Pyramids FC continues to hold out for £4.5 million.

Bajrami was one of the few positives to emerge from Rangers’ defeat at Pittodrie.

His superb solo effort was a moment of genuine individual brilliance that shone through an otherwise uninspired concert.Rangers already have an in-form left winger, Nedim Bajrami.

“I find myself really enjoying my football with them, even if I play on the left,” the Albanian stated after impressing in Rangers’ 4-0 Europa League victory over Romanian giants FCSB, praising his increasing understanding with Lawrence and rampaging left-back Jefte.

“I believe Hamza and Jefte may become elite players in the next years. I believe that if they succeed here, they will have a bright future. And they have to work hard because football is like that.”